Marijuana Odor Prompts New Detection Device

Enter the 'Nasal Ranger'

Although recreational marijuana is now legal in Colorado, the smell of pot is not as welcome. With an increase in marijuana use, the complaints and calls to enforce the odor ordinance have skyrocketed across the state. In comes The Nasal Ranger. This olfactometer, or smell-o-scope, is designed to determine the strength of the odor and whether or not it is breaking the local odor threshold, reports the Denver Post.

The Nasal Ranger looks like a bullhorn for your nose and is operated by specially trained investigators with the Denver Department of Environmental Health. For an odor to warrant a fine, it has to exceed a 7-1 ratio, where one volume of odor is detectable with seven volumes of nonodorous air, according to NPR.

While the nasal trombone may look intimidating, marijuana use and even harvesting will likely never break the 7-1 ratio and violate the odor ordinance. In fact, the odor law hasn't been broken since 1994, and most marijuana growing facilities understand the legal rules and have ventilation system to combat the smell, according to the Post.

Last month, the Denver City Council presented a new rulebook on marijuana use that would prohibit only the smell of pot coming from private properties. This new framework has since been scaled back and the council plans to meet again on Tuesday.

Our Mission

To inspire active participation in the world outside through award-winning coverage of the sports, people, places, adventure, discoveries, health and fitness, gear and apparel, trends and events that make up an active lifestyle.